OUTPOST III: RISE OF THE SPETSNAZ (2013)

Directed by Kieran Parker, Starring: Bryan Larkin, Iván Kamarás, Michael McKell, Velibor Topic, Alex Utgoff . Horror, UK, 2013, 84mins, cert 18.

Along the Eastern Front in March 1945, a small Russian Special Forces Unit (Spetsnaz) is lying in wait to ambush an approaching Nazi convoy. The resulting bloody battle doesn’t go entirely to plan however, and the Spetsnaz are captured and taken to a nearby underground facility. Once imprisoned in this subterranean test facility they discover the Nazi’s are conducting experiments in order to develop an invincible army of undead soldiers.
Stepping up from his previous producing duties, first-time director Kieran Parker delivers an ‘origin’ story for this third instalment in the OUTPOST franchise. Utilising the extensive bunker set originally constructed for OUTPOST: BLACK SUN, this outing for the Nazi Zombie storm troopers is, for the most part, subterranean which proves to be both an asset and a hindrance.

The most obvious comment to make is how colourless the film appears. It’s as if the image palette has deliberately been set one-notch above monochrome. Given that an extensive chunk of the film takes place in dimly lit underground corridors, there are whole segments which appear to be in black and white. Compared to some of the footage featured in the ‘making of’ featurette, it’s striking just how ‘washed out’ the final print appears. Perhaps the filmmakers felt this added a claustrophobic authenticity to the proceedings, but the film’s impact is considerably lessened as a result.
This is especially notable in the gory sequences - plentiful and gleefully vicious though they maybe - and in some of the zombies themselves. Neither gets the forthright presentation they deserve.

The script is understandably action-heavy but there are a few gems glistening in the darkness of the bunker. Michael McKell’s chillingly barmy Nazi Colonel Strasser mines some choice dialogue before suffering an outstandingly gruesome demise.
Glaswegian lead Bryan Larkin, beefed up for the role of lead Spetsnaz Sergeant Dolokhov, acquits himself admirably as he almost single-handedly slaughters the entire Third Reich in his attempts to blow the lid on his captures’ devilish plans. He may well occasionally loose his grip on the Russian accent, but his grip on his knife, pickaxe and machine-gun remains true throughout.        

Not having seen this film’s two predecessors I’m not qualified to judge where it sits in terms of quality within the franchise. However, whilst it lacks the insane invention of FRANKENSTEIN’S ARMY and the crowd-pleasing humour of DEAD SNOW, it’s nevertheless an efficient (if largely colourless) addition to the increasingly crowded Nazi Zombie sub-genre.

(And it does feature this admirable pun in the end credits: “Filmed in (Goose) Stepps Glasgow”)

*** (out of 5*)

Paul Worts

This review was originally published on the FrightFest website.